Ealing Trailfinders vs Nottingham

Match Report

Ealing Trailfinders stamped their authority on a resilient Nottingham side with a 52-26 victory at TFSC.

 

Tries from Billy Twelvetrees, Matt Cornish (3), Biyi Alo, Angus Kernohan and Jonah Holmes secured all five points for the home side to extend their lead at the top of the Championship to 13 points.

 

Twelvetrees opened the scoring with a classy interception, reading the pass with ease inside the Nottingham 22, leaving him free to saunter over the line and dot down under the posts. He converted the extras.

 

The Archers hit back as a looping pass on the Trailfinders five-metre line managed to elude three players and Ryan Olowofela was able to cruise over in the corner. The conversion was missed.

 

Trailfinders’ Richard Hardwick was then sent to the sin bin midway through the first half.

 

Nottingham capitalised on their player advantage through Beltus Nonleh, who bundled over the whitewash having been put in great territory by a slick 50-22 from Ellis Mee. Matt Arden converted.

 

The scoring pendulum swung again as Matt Cornish did what he does best, crashing down over the line off the back of a rolling maul. Twelvetrees missed the conversion.

 

Within a matter of minutes however, the away side retook the lead as Joe Woodward sliced through the Trailfinders line far too easily to score under the posts. Arden converted.

 

With the pendulum failing to halt, the combination of Matt Cornish and a rolling maul resulted in the inevitable just before half time. Twelvetrees missed the conversion to leave the score 17-19 at the break.

 

Jordan Burns ensured the home side started the second half in the ascendancy with an immaculate 50-22, and after successive penalties the referee had no choice but to award a penalty try. With the extras guaranteed, Nottingham were also reduced to 14.

 

Despite their handicap, the Archers spread the ball swiftly across the field, opening space for Dafydd Tiueti to burst down the left flank and dot over the line. Arden’s conversion was good.

 

Trailfinders response was emphatic, with Alo scoring the first five of 28 unanswered points as he bulldozed his way over the line off a stiffened rolling maul. Twelvetrees converted.

 

Cornish secured his hattrick of tries just as he had scored his first two, off the back of the unstoppable Trailfinders rolling maul. Twelvetrees converted again.

 

Trailfinders next try had a bit more flair to it, with both wingers combining beautifully to allow Kernohan to power through a gap in the line and score on his return to TFSC. Twelvetrees nailed the extras.

 

Only on the pitch for a matter of minutes, Holmes was the next beneficiary of some swift hands in the build-up as he was freed down the right flank, using his pace and strength to finish brilliantly in the corner. Twelvetrees maintained his perfect second half from the tee to leave the final score 52-26.